Dakota Johnson Gets Candid About Filming Sex Scenes

Dakota Johnson is opening up about her experience filming sex scenes.

On a recent episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler, the Materialists actress got down to the nitty gritty. When Poehler asked how she “psyches herself up” to film bedroom scenes, Johnson cheekily responded, “Amy, I don’t have to. I’m always psyched up for sex. Let’s go to pound town.”

She then spoke about a movie she shot a few months ago where she worked with an intimacy coordinator for the first time. “She was really great,” she said. “It was so cool because I’m so used to just… It’s a sex scene. It’s not sexy. It doesn’t feel good.”

She continued to share that preparing for sex scenes differs from role to role. “First, it depends on who the character is and who the character’s supposed to be to the audience,” she said. “Is she like a super idolized hot girl? Is she a housewife? Is she lonely? Is she scared? Is she conservative? That’s obviously character work.”

Johnson also noted that confidence is key. “I want to feel good in my body if I’m showing my body,” she said. She credited her mom, actress Melanie Griffith, for building her confidence.

“My mom raised me to be really proud of my body and love my body,” she said. “So I’ve always felt so grateful for that, especially in my work because I can use it and it feels real.”

Poehler then asked her how Griffith did that, because so many mothers want to know how they can do the same for their daughters. “It was the way she spoke about it with me. And she was very honest and open about body stuff, like getting my period. She was really good about it. I have friends whose mothers never spoke to them about that stuff. And it’s so hard and sad.”

She continued, “She also talked to me about sex and how precious and important [it is]. So I guess, in my work, it's something I feel brave with.”

Watch the full podcast episode here.